The We Invest In Nationhood (WIN) movement has condemned what it describes as blatant political victimisation following the arrest of one of its female candidates and four supporters in Mabaruma, Region One. The group was detained while publicising an upcoming party meeting scheduled for Saturday.
In a statement issued on Thursday, WIN said its campaign manager, Maria Basheer, along with a canter driver, a taxi driver, a deejay, and two WIN members, were taken into custody by police on Wednesday evening. According to the party, the team was engaging with residents and announcing the meeting when law enforcement intervened.
WIN alleged that the group was held “on the bench all night” and subsequently released on $200,000 bail each this morning. The party further claimed that while in custody, the detainees’ mobile phones were confiscated and repeated requests to contact legal counsel were ignored.
The party also detailed that Basheer, who was menstruating at the time, was denied access to basic sanitary provisions:
“Basheer, who was experiencing her menstrual cycle, was also refused the ability to change her sanitary napkins until she threatened to ‘paint the walls red.’”
WIN emphasised that its outreach team had taken care to follow regulations, including switching off the music system while near the police station and hospital. Despite this, the group was detained—a move the party says highlights the selective application of the law.
“WIN sees this as another level of victimization by a police force that is being weaponised by the [People’s Progressive Party/Civic] PPP/C administration,” the party stated. It added that other political parties, including the governing PPP/C, have engaged in similar campaign strategies without facing such repercussions.
Political observers have also raised concerns about the police’s actions, noting that such campaign activities are typically commonplace—and tolerated—during an election season. One observer noted that, “It’s highly unusual for police to intervene in these kinds of routine political mobilisations, especially when no laws are clearly being broken.”
This incident follows another recent confrontation between WIN and law enforcement. Just last evening, WIN presidential candidate Azruddin Mohamed and his team were stopped by police while en route to a campaign event in Corriverton Berbice. The team, which included presidential candidate Azruddin Mohamed, was reportedly delayed for several hours, though no charges were laid.
WIN also recalled an earlier episode involving the current regional commander of the Force under whose leadership a police officer was transferred for shaking hands with Mohamed.
The party accused the authorities of “blatantly disregarding” its constitutional right to campaign freely and called for equal treatment across the political spectrum:
“All political parties should be allowed a level playfield to contest the national and regional elections without discrimination or victimisation.”
WIN concluded its statement by urging international observer missions currently in Guyana to monitor what it described as “continuous attempts to silence the party.”
